Cummins pleased Australia ‘saved the best for the last’

Australia weren’t the clear favourites heading into the 2023 ODI World Cup. They began their campaign with two big losses, had injury troubles and a number of out-of-form players, and most of their wins in the league stages were not convincing enough. But captain Pat Cummins was pleased his side “saved the best for our last” as they convincingly beat hosts India – who were unbeaten in the tournament until Sunday – by six wickets in the final to lift the ODI World Cup for the sixth time.

“You’ve got to go and win a World Cup,” he said at the post-match presentation. “You just can’t wait for it to happen. And I think you got to be brave at times, you got to take the game on. And it was a real shift after those first two games. With our batting particularly you saw the openers going out really aggressive and pretty much didn’t waver from that for the rest of the tournament.

“Think we saved our best for last. And a couple of big-match players stood up and, yeah, we’re pretty chuffed.”

Cummins also put Australia’s turnaround down to their openers’ aggressive approach. Australia’s openers finished with the best combined average of 47.86 in the tournament and their strike rate of 111.19 was only second to India’s 116.99.

In the final, Australia found themselves in trouble when they were down 47 for 3 chasing 241. Mohammed Shami had removed David Warner for 7 in the second over and Jasprit Bumrah had Mitchell Marsh caught behind for 15. Soon after, Bumrah got the crucial wicket of Steven Smith in the seventh over, having him pinned in front for 4.

It was only after that did Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne combine for the match-winning partnership of 192, to not let India into the game at any point then on.

“I was one of those blokes with the hearts fluttering upstairs, I was pacing [after 47 for 3],” Cummins said. “Marnus walked in and out and a cool head straightaway. And Trav just does what he does – really brave again, he takes the game on, puts the pressure back on the bowlers. And to do it on the biggest stage shows a lot of character.”

Australia were not only impressive with both bat and ball but with their fielding too. Thirty-seven-year-old Warner in particular was electric in the field, flinging himself to save a number of boundaries while fielding near the rope.

“[We were] desperate for sure [on the field],” Cummins said. “It all started last week in South Africa [in the semi-final]. The boys are fantastic. And we’ve got an ageing side. But everyone’s still throwing themselves around in the game, [especially] when you got a big stadium like this packed.”

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‘Travis Head has matured over the last two years across all formats’ – Tom Moody

The Australia opener smashed 137 off 120 balls in the final against India, as Australia won by six wickets

Head, who was the Player of the Match in the final for his 137 off 120 balls, was injured at the start of the World Cup. The selectors, however, persisted with him and kept him in the squad. Making his comeback only in Australia’s sixth match – against New Zealand – in the tournament, he smashed 109 off just 67 balls, playing an important hand in the five-run win. He was also the Player of the Match in the semi-final against South Africa for his all-round effort of 62 runs and two wickets.

“Amazing,” Cummins said of Head’s form in the tournament. “I think you have to give it to the selectors that backed him even when he was out with a broken hand and the medical team to get him back. It was a big risk that we took and it paid off and you couldn’t be happier for Travis, a legend. We love him and he’s easy to watch.”

Cummins had said ahead of the final there was “nothing more satisfying” than silencing the 100,000-plus crowd in Ahmedabad. His side successfully did that, but he also said it was a “pretty special” moment to win in front of a massive crowd despite the support being one-sided in favour of India.

“It (the crowd) was awesome, I must say,” he said. “I was pretty happy. They were solid for a lot of the bowling innings. A couple of times they got loud and it was really loud. But fantastic. I mean, the passion in India is unrivaled around the world and I think it’s amazing.

“Every single person is wearing the blue shirt. So you look around and it’s a pretty special moment – one that whatever the result happened, we’re never going to forget a day like today.”

Australia have won laurels across formats this year under Cummins’ captaincy. They became the World Test Champions in June by beating India in the final, retained the Ashes in England and have now won the ODI World Cup. For Cummins, being crowned the ODI champions tops it all.

“Yeah, it’s been awesome,” he said. “It’s been pretty much through the whole Aussie winter away overseas playing but we’ve had a lot of success and this pips it all, this is at the top of the mountain.”